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28 October 2016

UN Women NC Australia Backs Top-Rated EMBA Program

The Business School’s top rated Global Executive MBA program has been endorsed by UN Women National Committee (NC) Australia in an extension of its MBA partnership.
The Business School and UN Women NC Australia partnered in 2014 to promote gender equality at the most senior levels of the nation’s public, corporate and not-for-profit sectors, and in a united goal to further women’s education. The unique partnership involves funding for a full MBA scholarship and industry placement opportunities for undergraduate students.

Five UN Women NC Australia MBA Scholarships have been awarded since the partnership’s inception (one per semester), and now for the first time a women’s scholarship for the Global Executive MBA will be awarded in 2017, valued at over $60,000.

“Women continue to be poorly represented in leadership roles in Australia, and in most places around the world,” said UN Women NC Australia’ Executive Director Janelle Weissman. “This spans everything from board directorships – 22 companies in the ASX 200 still have no women board directors – to senior management – just 15.4% of Australian companies are led by a woman CEO.”

“The UN Women NC Australia Global Executive MBA scholarship is aimed at unlocking opportunities for more women to hone their leadership skills, with a view to turning these statistics around, which is in turn not only good news for women, it’s good news for business,” said Ms Weissman.

Entry to the Global Executive MBA program requires a minimum of ten years professional experience and a Bachelor Degree, Graduate Diploma or equivalent.

“Australia needs to improve the gender balance at senior executive and board levels,” said Global Executive MBA Director, Associate Professor Robin Stonecash. “To do that we need to ensure that women are equipped with the capabilities to lead at those levels, and to become part of the networks from which senior leaders are chosen. Our program will help them do both of those things.”

The 18 month Global Executive MBA program, which reflects the Business School’s strong commitment to experiential learning, consists of five, two week modules, two of which are undertaken in Australia. The others are delivered in the United States, India and France.

The program is ranked no. 1 in Australia by the biennial Financial Review BOSS Magazine Executive MBA Rankings, 2013 and 2015.

“The Global Executive MBA provides high-level leadership development and engaging learning opportunities for senior managers, many of whom are on the track to become CEOs,” said Ms Weissman.

“After co-sponsoring two MBA scholarships each year for the past three years, co-sponsoring one Global Executive MBA scholarship was a natural extension of the scholarship offerings for women,” she continued.

“UN Women NC Australia is pleased to partner with the University of Sydney Business School, now going on four years, because we know the leadership of the Business School is deeply committed to changing the conversation around gender equality and women’s leadership in the classroom, through research, on campus and by unlocking financial barriers to postgraduate business education,” said Ms Weissman.

“Together, we are in the business of ensuring women have a seat at the table, and a central part of that is ensuring access to education,” said Ms Weissman.

“The Business School has had a strong relationship with UN Women NC Australia. Indeed, its former Executive Director, Julie McKay, is an alumnus of the Global EMBA,” said Associate Professor Stonecash.

“This new scholarship, for women with over 10 years of experience, is a recognition that it is time for women to have a more significant place in senior management in organisations.”

“The ongoing support of UN Women is a testament to the significance of the program in advancing Global Executive MBA graduates’ careers, giving them the skills to have an impact at the very senior levels of both the private and public sector organisations in Australia,” said Associate Professor Stonecash.